


Allowed To Care

by TheAngelofFate



Category: Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Marvel's Avengers (Video Game 2020), Marvel's Avengers (Video Game), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bruce sees Kamala as a daughter and it’s adorable, Domestic Fluff, Family, Family Feels, Father-Daughter Relationship, Feels, Gen, Kamala Khan Needs a Hug, Protective Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers is a Good Friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26396962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngelofFate/pseuds/TheAngelofFate
Summary: In which a conversation with Steve makes Bruce realize just how much Kamala means to him.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Kamala Khan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 87





	Allowed To Care

He knew this shouldn't be happening, he knew that growing attached would only lead him to trouble, that it would only lead to bad things. His gut reaction had warned him, warned him several times to stop and rebuild those walls he had perfected before, to keep people out.

Because despite the pain and mental and physical abuse Brian Banner beat into him, that actually never Bruce himself from wanting children. He thought that because of the horrendous way he was raised, that he could be a great father, a much better one that what he had been settle with.

Then the Gamma Explosion had took away any chance of that happening with Betty.

And that crushed him, losing Betty, had been bad enough, because god, did he miss her. But losing the chance to have a family? It hurt, but it became his way of life, something he just accepted along with everything else in his life.

Steve's "death" and the disbandment of the Avengers through his own words of guilt and self hatred, was all something that he accepted no matter how much it hurt. But then Kamala came out of no where and changed everything, for the first time Bruce wasn't alone, who looked at him and didn't see a monster, didn't see the Hulk as something bad, but genuinely admiring both.

At first he saw her as just a naïve fangirl who didn't understand what she had gotten herself into, but then little by little something changed, " _She grows on ya..."_ He had told Tony and it even surprised him how genuine those words were.

Bruce found him checking in on her as the days past by, trying to get the Chimera into the air. Making sure she was comfortable and mentally stable. It was awkward whenever they had a deep conversation but then again, according to Tony that was nothing new for him. Awkward conversation was just something that came naturally to Bruce. Recalling a time in the beginning of their friendship, where they had first met and Bruce was stiff until Tony broke the ice with a joke that genuinely made him laugh.

But his awkwardness with Kamala seemed so much different. Because he wanted to help her, be there for her because he knew that's what she needed guidance, but talking to a kid, was far different then talking to an adult.

He looked at Kamala and not only did he see an equal, a teammate but something else.

Bruce knew it was a bad idea, _oh boy,_ did he.

But he was growing attached to the kid. And that only increased more when he awoke hours later after being hit with Tarleton's laser and saw her laying on the bed a few feet away from him, he felt his heart skip a beat, sitting up immediately. letting out a groan when his body protested.

"Easy Brucie,"

Blinking the haze away, he saw Tony grab hold of his shoulder, "Tony... Is she...?"

_Please, please don't let her be..._

Tony gave him a knowing smile, "She's gonna be fine, Bruce. She went giant, like giant in the beanstalk big and beat Tarleton's ass after you got clobbered. She'll be okay."

He remembered letting out a sigh of relief after that. _Thank goodness, she’s safe..._

In the end, while talking with Steve, after everything had calmed down, after they all had gotten a chance to breathe after what happened, he finally was to admit that he did, in fact, cared about Kamala.

"She just— She got me out of a bad spot..." He explained, digging his elbows into his thighs, leaning forward on the bed, while Steve had brought the desk chair over and casually leaned against it. "Hulk and I— we weren't... we weren't okay and she helped even without doing anything. She was just there and I think I really needed that after being alone for so long."

Steve leaned forward and patted his knee, smiling. "There's nothing wrong with that, Bruce." Steve leaned back against the chair, that same genuine smile of his face, "Bruce, you _are_ allowed to care. You're allowed to let people in. Like you let us in."

Bruce shook his head, "Letting you guys in had made me more scared of my own feelings, sparring myself the pain of getting hurt, growing attached, thinking back then it was only temporarily because I'd leave soon, but this... it's _different_. I'm not scared for myself, I'm scared for _her_."

Steve, to his surprise, let out a low, soft laugh, "That fear? Bruce? That is you caring about her, she was there for you when you were in a dark place, and she needed you because she felt lost and alone."

He scoffed out hollowly, "She doesn't need me. Or any of us, really. She already has family."

"But that's not gonna stop you from worrying." The Captain said matter-of-factly. "Because as mature and strong as she is. She's still a _kid_ and she needs us and needs you. To help her in this line of work."

"I just... want her to be _safe_." Bruce looked down at his hands and closed his eyes, feeling Hulk rumble about in the back of his brain, and for the first time, in the silence of his mind, he felt the big guy grunt in agreement, it seemed he wasn't the only one who had grown fond of Kamala. "It's why a part of me wishes we can just send her home, prevent her from fighting this fight but..."

Steve nodded, knowing exactly what Bruce was talking about. "But she'd probably pull a Tony or a Natasha and do everything on her own. Wanting to prove herself."

Bruce sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What did I get myself into? I never thought something like this was possible. I’ve had to let go of so much, but this? It’s all new to me and I don’t know what I’m doing...”

Steve chuckled, leaning forward and patting his shoulder. "Welcome to the wonder's of mentoring. How your feeling? How much you care about her? Was _exactly_ how I felt with Bucky."

That's right, Cap had a sidekick back then, he was a little older then Kamala was? "How... did you handle that? I'm... scared shitless at the thought of her getting hurt or worse..."

A look fell over Steve's eyes, one that Bruce recognized as guilt. "It... wasn't easy. I wanted Bucky safe as well, with how young he was, but I knew that without me to at least help him, he'd go off and try to help people on his own. At least with me, I felt that like he was safer. Or that's what I thought..." Steve cleared his throat, swallowing an obvious lump in his throat, "But I don't regret knowing him, helping him, guiding him for the short time I did before he— _But_ I know that as much as you fear for her safety that you don't regret meeting Kamala."

Bruce shook his head, " _Never_."

And it was the truth.

"Then take Nat's advice, just be _there_ for her. Like we all are trying to be.” 

Bruce nodded, as he remembered his conversation he had with Nat, when the woman had questioned that he saw Kamala as less then human and more of a project. "I know... I know that and _I am_. I'm here."

Suddenly, the door slide open, "Knock Knock, Bruce?" Kamala poked her head from behind the wall. She stopped when she noticed Cap sitting there, a look of realization came a crossed her face. "Oh.. Am I interrupting something?" She inquired, backing up, pointing to the door, "I can come back later."

Steve stood, smiling at her, "No, it's fine. I was just leaving... Um..." Bruce watched as Steve paused, thinking of an excuse as to just he was there. "So your sure Hulk is up for training?"

Bruce did his best to hold in a snicker, "Y-Yeah, just make sure Thor's there too, I know he's been wanting to spar with the big guy."

Steve smiled at him, walking over to Kamala and patting her shoulder, "You, uh... can always join us if you want."

She smiled, "Sure! I'm game!" And Bruce noticed that she didn't seem as excited as she would have been given any other time Steve would suggest training.

Was something wrong?

Steve left after that, and Kamala watched him walk away before turning back to Bruce. "Hey."

He smiled at her, "Hi. You, uh... need something?"

Kamala gripped the straps of her book bag and hesitated, "I mean... kinda? Nothing's wrong... really. I stupidly forgot to do my book report one of my science class, so I missed out on going to the movies with my parents and Aamir, so I kinda felt a little..."

"...Lonely?" Bruce finished, softly, smiling.

Kamala nodded, gripper her handbag tighter. "I mean, most of the time, it doesn't bother me. But I don't know, today I feel a little..."

Bruce crossed his arms, "Left out?"

"Yeah..."

"I know what that's like..." And he did, he could very much understand that, recounting the multitude of times he'd watched from the corner, while his classmates bonded over subjects and was left out of the loop, choosing to keep to himself more. Bruce raised a hand and gestured over to the sofa they all had in their living quarters. "Well... your more then welcome to stay here, and I could even help... _if_ you want, that is."

Kamala seemed to brighten up at that, her smile reached her eyes this time, "That be great! Thanks!"

Twenty minutes later, Bruce had proof read her report she had typed out three separate times before Kamala was satisfied with the results.

Now, the two of them were just sitting in his quarters, Kamala still sitting on the sofa reading a copy of _Of Mice and Men_ she had been wanting to read for a while now, or practically begging him, it was the only book her dad would never let her read, and just now decided she could, while Bruce sat at his desk looking over his blood tests and physics book.

This is something they had gotten into a routine of doing. But this time felt different. For me, Kamala had a back for narrating the books he would often lend her, Her way of trying to fill in the void that often happened when it came to the silence of a scientist working, something that she was now not doing. Not only that, but Bruce could sense the tension coming from Kamala and his immediate response as it often if, he’s noticed, was to inquire her about it. “Everything alright?”

Bruce watched Kamala look up from her book, “Hm? Oh, y-yeah, I’m fine, why?”

He shrugged, suddenly feeling awkward. “I mean... I don’t know, your usually never this quiet.”

Kamala gave him a sheepish laugh before running her fingers over the binding of the copy of she was holding, something that Bruce also long deduced was a nervous tick of hers. “Oh it’s nothing...”

Bruce narrowed his eyes at her, “You know having spent a lot of time with Tony, I’ve come to notice that ‘ _nothing_ ’ always means _something_.”

But Kamala shook her head once more, this time a little more forceful, “I’m okay, Bruce. Really, you worry too much.”

Despite the tension still etched on Kampala’s face, Bruce smiled. “With you, kiddo? I don’t worry _enough._ ”

She let out a laughs rolling her eyes before going back to her book.

One hour later, and Bruce found himself still staring at his text book and equipment. Blinking away the haze that had gathered there, he looked at his watch and saw that it was past midnight. Which wasn’t abnormal for him, he’s been knowing to pull all nighters as much as Tony did, but—

He looked over at Kamala and found the young girl sleeping, his copy _Of Mice and Men_ laying open against her face. Bruce let a find smile spread a crossed his face at the sight, he knew better then to wake a sleeping teen from their slumber, so Bruce simply got up from where sat, stretched, and draped a spare blanket over Kamala to keep her from getting cold.

While silently thanking Fury for not adding camera’s to the bedrooms, for it Tony could see him now, his friends would most definitely be teasing him about being a dad. He rolled his eyes at the Tony in his head and made to move back to his desk to continue working, but paused when he heard a whimper behind him.

Turning, he saw the way Kamala’s face contorted, scrunched up in pain as her smaller frame twitched.

She was having a nightmare

_Oh no..._

Nightmares as an adult were no fun, they could leave any strong willed man broken. But nightmares to kids and teens like Kamala were even more so traumatizing and painful. Something he also knew what they felt like, recalling all the nightmare he had almost every night about his mother’s passing away due to Brian’s rage.

Not wanting Kamala to go through that, he slowly. Cautiously, walked over, making sure his voice was soft, soothing, as to not scare her any further then she was about to be. “Kamala? Hey, kiddo. It’s okay.” His fingers brushed over the book in her hand and that seemed to been enough of a trigger, for Kamala’s eyes snapped straight open, her body jerked violently as she sat up, his hand raising, growing in size and closing tightly around Bruce’s whole forearm.

Bruce paid no attention to his arm, all that he could focus on were Kamala’s eyes, which were glazed over, frantic as they searched the room, Bruce leaned down and made sure that he was in her line of sight, “Whoa, hey... its okay, kiddo.” He gently placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her grounded while he thought of what to do next. “It’s okay, Kamala, it’s okay.”

Eventually, Kamala’s eyes settled on him, as though her breathing was hitched, she managed a weak but audible, “Bruce?”

Bruce have her a small smile, holding her gaze. “Yeah, you okay? You remember where you are, right? On the Chimera? You fell asleep reading one of my books and I didn’t... didn’t have the heart to wake you.”

Kamala blinked several times, nodding her head, her eyes lowered to her hand, shaking in its polymorph size, she choked on a breathe harshly, and began to apologize profusely, jerking her hand away, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to— I’m sorry!”

Bruce shook his head, kneeling down next to her, placing a hand on top of her trembling ones, “Hey, no. It’s okay. You didn’t hurt me, I’m fine.” As proof, he showed Kamala his arm, showed her that there was no wound, no crushed bone or bruise forming on the skin, “Trust me, I’ve gone through worse, okay?”

Kamala looked at his arm, she herself scanned his limp with wide eyes, then after another minute of staring, when she confirmed for herself that he’d be fine, she nodded, “O-Okay... okay, good.”

Bruce knew that leaving the conversation there would in no way help Kamala deal whatever it is she’s dealing with internally.

> _Be there for her._

So bad much of a bad idea as it was, Bruce took a breathe and asked the question, “Soo, you wanna tell me about it?” At his words, Kamala’s gripped his hands tightly, “I mean, I can only guess... your probably going through a lot but — maybe I can help?”

Kamala looked at him, she opened her mouth to respond probably to make up another excuse that she was fine, when tears begin to swell in her eyes, she smiled, despite herself, trying so hard to make it seem like everything was fine, “I’m fine...” Her bottom lip quivered and her shoulders trembled. “I— have been having the same nightmare over and over again for the past couple days now.” She admitted with a hitch in her breath, as though it took every ounce of her courage to do so. “And I... I get that would probably happen, you know? I know that’s a... a thing that happens even with heroes. But I though that maybe, if I just pretended I was okay? You know, I’d be okay, eventually. But then I missed writing my book report because I haven’t been sleeping well and everything just kinda...”

Bruce shifted where he knelt, “Boiled over?” He asked gently, softly.

She nodded, using a finger to wipe away a tear that managed to trickle down her face. “It’s just... every time I sleep, I remember that moment, I got captured by Monica, and strapped to a table.” Kamala’s breathe hitched once more and Bruce felt his heart break at the sight. “And then I start thinking ‘ _What if she gets to my parents or Aamir?’_ or ‘ _What if she finds me?’_ And no one will ever find me like they almost never found Capand the thought of that... I just...”

Bruce’s heart constructed in his chest, if she didn’t calm down soon, Kamala would likely suffer an anxiety attack. Taking a chance, he hesitatingly reaches forward and cupped her cheek. “Hey, hey... _breath_ , kiddo.” He gave her a gentle smile, “Listen to me, okay? We would _never_ let anything happen to you or your family.” Bruce felt his throat tighten at even the thought of anything bad happening to Kamala, or worse, Monica getting her hands on her again. “ _I_ won’t let Monica get _anywhere_ near you, I _promise_. Hulk and I— we will protect you with everything we have. Okay?”

Maybe it was his calming presence, or maybe it was the fact that he was here, as wise and understanding as he always was, but whatever it was Bruce could only watch as Kamala, the girl that brought him back from the abyss, that had been there for him, promptly began sobbing.

And one would think that, Bruce would feel a wave of awkwardness at the sight, because that’s how he felt when he first caught her crying back when they had first met. But that didn’t happen, in fact, it was the opposite.

Remembering all the times his mother had done for him, when the abuse with Brian Banner became too much, Bruce gathered Kamala in his arms and just held her gently, so very gently, like she was made of the most fragile of glass, while she sobbed against his chest. “ _Shh_ , it’s okay. I promise, everything is gonna be alright, kiddo. I know you can take care of yourself, and I know you are strong but.... I won’t let anything bad happen to you. None of us will.” He promised this, to Kamala, to himself and to the other people that cared about her, that no matter what, they were all going to be there for her.   
  


Together, they knelt on the ground together, Kamala clinging to him, as she cried out all her exhaustion and stress into his shoulder. And Bruce realized that Steve was right, the wonders of mentoring Kamala were definitely gonna be challenging, but he would never regret meeting her. 

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t normally write father-daughter relationship because I’m more use to writing father-son but if I’m being 100% honest I literally can’t describe how much I adore Bruce’s relationship with Kamala. The man went from thinking she was just a naive kid, to genuinely caring about her and it’s so wholesome.
> 
> This story may not be that good, but here it is anyway
> 
> Anyway, a penny for your thoughts? Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated in reviews if you all have the time.


End file.
